Articles and Review From May 2006

Real American Heroes by Frank Y Pak Agostinelli

“Thank a veteran for your freedom.” We all have seen these bumper stickers from time to time. I never thought much about it until I read Ronald Takaki’s “Strangers From A Different Shore.” Takaki spoke of the 100th Battalion, better known as the Purple Heart Battalion, composed of Japanese-Americans or Nisei who were part of a stabilizing force in the economy of Hawai’i. They eventually merged with the 442nd Regimental Combat Team that was a collection of Nisei from the internment camps who rescued the 141st Infantry Regiment, a.k.a. “The Lost Battalion.” The 442nd were praised by General Mark Clark as “the most decorated unit in the history of the United States.” The 100th Battalion and the 442nd RCT, American in every sense of the word.

They worked the cane fields of Hawai’i. They worked the farms in California. Working class people. Second generation Japanese-Americans who considered themselves American. They saw this country as their own as some never considered Japan as their own. An alleged surprise attack on Pearl Harbor thrust the United States in World War II and for the Nisei, it changed everything. Paranoia spawned by Americans was manifested by Lieutenant General John L. DeWitt. “A Jap’s a Jap. They are a dangerous element. There is no way to determine their loyalty . . . It makes no difference whether he is an American citizen; theoretically he is still Japanese and you can‘t change him.” declared DeWitt. Ultimately President Franklin D. Roosevelt put it in writing (Executive Order 9066) to “evacuate” those of Japanese ancestry, place them into assembly centers, and eventually internment camps. These prisons were located in desolate parts of California, Colorado, Arizona, Wyoming, Arkansas, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, and Utah.

One would like to believe World War II would be advantageous to American born Japanese who wanted to prove their “American-ness” but unfortunately it was “guilty by ethnic association” regardless if they were born in America and considered themselves American. A 4-C (enemy alien) designation was placed on all young Japanese men then taken away. President Roosevelt, at the urging of the Director of the Office of War, gave the word to allow Nisei to enlist. Those who passed the loyalty questionnaire would be placed in the 442nd RCT after basic training. In announcement of the creation of the 442nd, President Roosevelt said the following: “The principle on which this country was founded and by which it has always been governed is that Americanism is a matter of mind and heart; Americanism is not, and never was, a matter of race or ancestry. A good American is one who is loyal to this country and to our creed of liberty and democracy.”

With the opportunity to show all of America they were loyal Americans, the Nisei wasted no time in leaving their mark. Whether there was an undertone of racism or the fact some ranked military men recognized the Nisei’s fighting spirit, they were always given the most difficult missions. The most difficult was the rescue of the remaining 211 soldiers of the 141st Infantry Regiment, 36th Division of Texas better know as “The Lost Battalion” who were surrounded by German soldiers in the Vosges Mountains of France (importantly solidifying their reputation as the most decorated unit in the history of the United States). After the war ended, the 442nd had suffered 9,486 casualties, including six hundred killed.

One would like to believe after being a major player for the United States in the defeat of Japan; the Nisei soldiers would bask in the rays of accolades from Americans back home. This was not the case as they had to endure the same ignorance after the war as well. On June 15, 1946, President Harry Truman presented the 7th Presidential Citation to members of the 442nd drawn up in ranks on the White House lawn. The New York Times carried the headline: The Commander-In-Chief Honors Nisei Heroes. In addition to countless awards bestowed upon the 100th and the 442nd that included 18,143 individual decorations, including one Congressional Medal of Honor, forty-seven Distinguished Service Crosses, 350 Silver Stars, 810 Bronze Stars, and more than thirty six hundred Purple Hearts, in June of 2000, President Bill Clinton awarded 20 more Medals of Honor after an investigation found some Nisei soldiers may have been denied awards due to prejudice.

If anybody has to the privilege of calling themselves Americans it is the Nisei. They were American in the ideal but the reality was, they didn’t look American. Their spirit, pride, love, and unwavering determination undoubtedly made up for the fact they didn’t look American. With that said, I would like to say thank you!

The Vincent Chin Tragedy by Frank Y Pak Agostinelli

Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. I believe it is fair to say when people come to America from all over the world in search of a better life, these are just some of things they are looking for. Tragically for Lily Chin, she did not find this. She found out when it came to her son Vincent, all men are not created equal. Vincent Chin was the victim of a racially motivated killing on June 19, 1982. While attending his bachelor party at a suburban Detroit strip club, Chin traded insults with out of work autoworkers, Ronald Ebens and Michael Nitz. Ebens and Nitz mistook Chin for Japanese in reference to the comment, “It’s because of you little motherfuckers we’re out of work!” After the incident was broken up at the club, Ebens and Nitz caught up to Chin and proceeded to assault him with repeated blows to the head with a baseball bat. Chin slipped into a coma and died of the injuries he sustained in the attack.

Historically, Asians in America have kept to their own ethnic group. After Chin’s death this all changed. The APA (Asian Pacific Americans) formed the civil rights group, the ACJ (American Citizens for Justice). It was created because of the outlandish sentences given to Chin’s murderers: a $3,000 fine, $780 in court fees, and three years probation for each of the men. Demands were made for a retrial. A litany of circumstances had Ebens convicted to 25 years in prison (Nitz was cleared of any wrongdoing) but because of improper coaching of a prosecution witness a new trial was set. In May of 1987, in the city of Cincinnati -- whose exposure to Asians was about nil, a jury acquitted Ebens of all charges.

Next month will be the 24 year anniversary of Vincent Chin’s death. Still to this day, Asians are “picked” on. Tolerance and understanding of Asians and other ethnic groups in America is minimal at best. If anyone tells you America is more tolerant towards different ethnic groups is either ignorant, are kidding themselves, or are in denial. Model Minority isn’t translated into “We can do anything we want to Asians and nothing will be done about it.” When such assaults occur, Asians are known to keep quiet, which is why statistics will never be comprehensive enough to gauge their accuracy. Most are jealous of what achievements are made by Asians. The fact is anyone can achieve a high standard if one puts their mind to it. To place a mark on a certain ethnic group for any reason is stupidity personified. The displays of xenophobia in the United States are pure hypocrisy. Taking a walk down memory lane via the family tree will show most they are not of pure blood. The fact is anyone can be targeted. Hapas in particular, because of the diversity in looks, could be mistaken just as Vincent Chin was.

The unfortunate conclusion to the death of Vincent Chin was his killers never paid for their crimes and Vincent’s mother Lily went back to China. America let Lily and Vincent Chin down.

Book Review: Part Asian 100% Hapa by Frank Y Pak Agostinelli

Back in the 80s, the shoe company Converse unleashed a line known as The Weapon. The shoe was pushed by this triad of NBA stars; Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, and “Dr. J” Julius Erving. In one of the commercials, Magic Johnson emphatically states in a voice so smooth only the Magic Man could pull this off, “They’re everywhere!”

Fast forward to 2006. Kip Fulbeck’s book Part Asian, 100% Hapa shows the world, we ARE everywhere!

This magnum opus is the final product of a three year undertaking that involved Kip Fulbeck photographing Hapa faces nationwide. It would be safe to say there are enough pictures for a volume set. He had more than enough volunteers and selected a total of 116 Mixed Asian faces from different mixed ethnic backgrounds to represent the book. The participants were tastefully photographed shoulders up sans clothes, jewelry, make-up etc. An almost back to the essence feel. Each person on the opposite page has their respective ethnicities as well as some comments that are straightforward, witty, descriptive, and full of emotion.

The book is a celebration of who were are, embracing who we are, and letting everyone who does not know, we are here and here to stay. Fulbeck’s commentary touches base with things many of us have gone through and the direction we, as the Hapa community are heading. Additional thoughts are penned by Sean Lennon and Paul Spickard. Part Asian, 100% Hapa is insightful, moving, and a positive for the Hapa community at large.

The totality of the book can be summarized from this quote on page 98, “I like being mixed. It is a good tribe to be in and it has many brothers and sisters.” I could not agree more. Thank you Kip. Kamsa!